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So Al Sharpton shook down Dr. Dre for half-million dollars?

Now this is interesting. My colleague from Dillard University had mentioned this in one of his status messages, and me and him had had some back and forths in the past concerning one from the College of Cardinals of Blackness Al Sharpton (speaking of which, who’s the Pope of Blackness? We need to meet and then keep on sending puffs of alternating white smoke, and when there’s black smoke (lol) we will have elected one).

Anywho, I’m already a Sharpton defender and I really challenge all to listen to his show before one passes a blanket judgment on him. Here is the first story that was published from HipHopDX:

In an upcoming interview for HipHopDX with Dr. Dre‘s former right hand man for over a decade, Bruce Williams, it was revealed that Rev Al Sharpton gave Dr. Dre and his Aftermath camp an ultimatum – Half a million to squash the 50 Cent/Game beef or they would march.

“He said if we didn’t have a million, we marching. It’s that easy,”Williams stated exclusively to HipHopDX. He also makes mention of the situation in his recently released book “Rollin With Dre.”

“We got a lot of black leaders that don’t do shit to me. I don’t see what they do,” he continues. “In the (Game/50) situation (Sharpton and company) are going to come and say ‘we need X amount of money’, whether you are going to give it to charity or not? Why don’t you come and say ‘hey, let’s all of us sit down and figure this out?’ Don’t come and say ‘give me a half a million dollars or we marching!’ That didn’t even get the situation resolved. You seen it. They didn’t even look like they squashed anything.”

Williams accuses Sharpton of “orchestrating” the press conference held to squash the beef and states that “so-called” activists do this “all of the time.”

“Look at C Delores Tucker back in the day,”Williams said. “They was sitting up there talking all that bullshit when behind closed doors they was trying to start their own label. But that isn’t what they were telling motherfuckers in the street!”

Check with HipHopDX in the coming weeks for the full feature on Bruce Williams and revealing details of everything that transpired during his tenure from Death Row to Aftermath.

Well….

I guess, you be the decider in all of this. Most know where I stand with Sharpton. So, today, my colleague sent me the follow-up clip from HipHopDX:

This afternoon, Sharpton responded through a state from his National Action Network. “At no point has Reverend Al Sharpton or an authorized representative of National Action Network met with Dr. Dre.

Interscope Records participated–as did other record companies– in National Action Network‘s previous Hip-Hip Town Hall meeting and has sponsored events at our annual national convention for several years. In fact, representatives of their companies appear in documentary footage by National Action Network raising the issue of responsibility of the music industry and artists. All of this happened after this incident and had no direct connection. Our work around this issue of responsibility in the music industry continues today.”

Dr. Dre has yet to comment on the matter. Bruce Williams‘ book Rollin’ With Dre: The Unauthorized Account is available in bookstores now.

The statement continued, addressing the specifics of the reported accusation of “staging a press conference.” “Secondly, if someone gave donations to offset our movement that would have precluded Reverend Al Sharpton‘s personal participation in standing with the teenager James Rosemond and his family at a press conference calling for an end to the kind of street violence that scars the hip-hop industry. The press conference was widely reported to be taking issue with the artist 50 Cent, Yayo and G Unit. It would also have precluded our marching on record companies, many of whom sponsored events with us, for using the “N,” “B” and “H” words, and withdrawing an award from record executive L.A. Reid for those same reasons. Clearly donations do not alter our focus and work and certainly are not requested from us to assure that it will. However, we think if Dr. Dre and others did make donations to charities, even in the arrangements that were inaccurately alleged, they should continue to do so, as all successful members of our community should help legitimate agencies and organizations that serve the communities that they sell to. We will continue our work around civil rights, racial violence and police brutality, and will not engage scurrilous banter to help sell books.”

Of course Sharpton would deny it. I just pose the question what’s the point of all of this? In the wider scheme of things, especially because there’s no smoking gun attached to all of this, do we really need to make an issue out of this? Furthermore, does this change anyone else’s viewpoint of Dre or Sharpton? Clearly, I’m still defending him and those who didn’t like him just solidified their resolve.

So do you think that Sharpton shook down Dre and is now trying to cover up his tracks? Or is this all media grandstanding on the part of both parties?